Beauty > Beauty Trends > French beauty with a side of Belgian design Date posted: March 8, 2010

French beauty with a side of Belgian design

Beauty loves nothing more than going back to basics; French skincare expert Caudalie is renowned for their use of grapes and all things viney. And now for that Margelia suite at their chic Bordeaux spa. Care for a little Cabernet?

Cabernet in a glass may not do wonders for the skin – or your chances of looking fresh the next day – but put it in a jar and it’s a whole different story. Bordeaux-based company Caudalie operates out a vineyard but rather than aiming at pleasing the palate it is all about great skin; the name has been on quite a few lips over the years, and more than one A-lister has fallen for its antioxidant charms.

Early March is a critical time of year: quite a few people will have enjoyed an “interesting” round of fashion weeks and while the idea of a nice long detox to recover something of a fresh-faced appearance might be appealing, time is definitely not on our side; grey skin just doesn’t look that good under the spring sun.

Designed with “elixirs of youth” of times gone by in mind, this Eau de Beauté is the best option for anyone to whom skincare is the last thing they do while running out of the house in the morning; a quick spray and off you go, all toned and moisturised. Good for all skin types, it is both a toner and a serum, containing everything from grapes to rosemary and rose – glow in a bottle, much more conducive to rosy skin than the other kind of bottled grapes.

If banning the greys won’t suffice then the Premier Cru might be a better option: unlike other grands crus there is no worrying about the “millesime” or “bouquet” (or price tag for while more expensive than some other skincare this is premium Bordeaux we are talking about), or a reticent cork… Just press and apply, and chances are that skin will be much more juicy grape than wrinkly raisin; it is mostly designed for the tackling of the first signs of ageing so don’t wait for the raisin to have taken over your face.

There is much more to the Caudalie range, including starter kits (the Vinexpert set is wonderful to beat the sag) and body scrubs (who would have thought Cabernet was good for the thighs).

Of course if you do have a little time to indulge in that detox then head off to a Bordeaux vineyard; noy to drink yourself into oblivion but to enjoy the ultimate beauty experience. Oh and Maison Martin Margiela was there and went a little mad with the white pain (what Cabernet can do to some…) for a most soothing effect. Les Sources de Caudalie is the brand’s very own spa, where €650 will buy you a night and day of pampering, skincare and white furniture (with the odd touch of red courtesy of the lippy sofa to avoid a full-on 2001 effect).

Vinotherapy – your next beauty experiment? If you stand unconvinced then to hell with it and get uncorking; after all, do we ever look as good as our reflection in the mirror after one glass too many?